


Always Come Find You

by a1_kitkat



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Episode Related, Established Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Established Relationship, Ficlet, Hurt TK Strand, M/M, Not Beta Read, Sobriety, s02e08
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-19 08:29:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29996649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a1_kitkat/pseuds/a1_kitkat
Summary: After the events of 2.08, Carlos takes TK home from the hospital where he returns his one year sobriety coin to him.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 16
Kudos: 261





	Always Come Find You

TK was grateful the room had finally stopped spinning. He was even more relieved once the pain in his head had begun to subside. The tension within him had faded once his parents had left, his mother having left town altogether and was on her way back to New York.

The hospital staff had chased all visitors away, all but Carlos anyway. TK had tried to send him home but his protective, heroic, doting boyfriend had refused to leave. He’d watched as Carlos nodded off, asleep in the uncomfortable chair with his fingers curled around TK’s.

“Hey,” TK whispered. “Babe, wake up.”

“No,” Carlos murmured. He knew if he opened his eyes, TK would try again to make him go home.

“Babe, please?”

“You need to rest, I’m sleeping here…”

TK nudged him again, repeatedly, until Carlos’s eyes finally fluttered open. He looked exhausted and TK’s heart ached for him; he gently squeezed his forearm.

“Hey, come here,” TK whispered.

“What?” Carlos frowned while stifling a yawn.

“Babe,  _ come here _ ,”

He shifted over as far as he could which still didn’t leave much room but Carlos crawled up the bed and squeezed in beside his injured boyfriend. TK immediately snuggled into him, felt Carlos’s lips brush against his forehead and he softly sighed, completely content in his arms.

“Promise you’ll still be here in the morning,” TK murmured.

“I’m not going anywhere, I promise,” Carlos replied.

*

Owen was there the second TK was given the all clear to go home. He wasn’t surprised to find Carlos already at the Hospital, wondering if perhaps the younger man hadn’t left since TK was admitted.

“Captain Strand,” Carlos greeted him with a nervous smile.

“Carlos,” Owen nodded at him. “Are, uh, things about to get awkward here?”

“Awkward, Sir?”

“I thought I was coming to take my son home…”

“We, uh, could ask him which he prefers…?”

Owen took a pause, examining Carlos. He could see how tired the young officer looked; he wasn’t in the right headspace to look after TK but Owen wasn’t sure he should voice his opinion.

He was TK’s father; he’d been there in New York after TK had overdosed, had been the one to burst in and save him. Owen had kept vigil by his bedside after he’d been shot. Yet  _ Carlos _ was the one who’d realized TK was in danger, had been the one his son had clung to in the aftermath.

As was protocol, a nurse came out with TK in a wheelchair. Owen’s heart dropped. He’d seen this sight too many times before but when TK looked up, saw Carlos, his lips curled into a wide grin.

He took a step back, watched as Carlos moved towards him and took his hand. Carlos helped TK to his feet and pulled him into his arms. Over his shoulder, TK’s gaze met with his father’s and Owen smiled at him.

“Are you ready to go home?” Carlos asked him.

“I…” TK started, nervously. His eyes darting from his father to his boyfriend.

“You should go, get some rest,” Owen said.

“Are you sure it’s okay?” TK asked. “I mean, with mom gone… You probably shouldn’t be alone…”

“I’m a big boy, I can take care of myself. Go home with Carlos and just feel better, okay?”

“Dad-”

“Go; I trust him to look after you... probably better than  _ I _ could.”

“Thank you, Sir,” Carlos nodded at Owen, slid his arm around TK’s waist and guided him towards his car.

They reached the doorway and TK turned around, smiled widely at his father then leaned into Carlos. ‘Thank you’ he silently mouthed while Owen waved to the couple.

*

TK leaned into Carlos, more than was necessary but he reveled in being so close to him. He’d never forget how strongly Carlos had held him after the kidnappers had been taken down.

Carlos unlocked the door and carefully helped TK inside, started to guide him towards the couch but TK tugged on his shirt.

“Are you hungry?” Carlos asked.

“Just tired,” TK admitted. 

“You want to take a nap?”

“Will you come with me?”

“Just try and stop me.”

They exchanged cute grins as Carlos took TK’s hand and the couple made their way up the stairs to Carlos’s bedroom. Shucked their shoes and jackets before settling down upon the bed.

It was much more comfortable than the narrow hospital bed but TK still nuzzled into Carlos’s arms, grinning to himself as he pressed kisses to his boyfriend’s neck.

“You’re supposed to be resting,” Carlos whispered.

“But this is very relaxing for me,” TK assured him with a smile.

“Just don’t exert yourself.”

“Maybe you should do all the work then?”

Carlos reached up and gently caressed TK’s cheek. The bruise still fresh near the bandage on his face. His eyes were wide, filled with such love.

“TK-” he started.

“Didn’t you assure my dad you’d look after me?”

“I don’t think he was implying I ‘look after you’ with sex…”

“But I’m  _ injured _ and don’t the injured parties usually get whatever makes them feel better?”

“Not if the injured party wants sex. You might pass out from exhaustion.”

TK pouted in disappointment but Carlos kissed the pout from his lips.

“Hey,” Carlos kissed him again. “I, uh, have something for you.”

“Something…Fun?” TK asked, hopeful.

Carlos chuckled and reluctantly separated himself from TK. He reached for something in the top drawer of the nightstand. He sat on the bed, looking down at TK, his hand shaking.

TK gazed up at him, reached over and placed his hand on top of Carlos’s. Something had shifted in the air between them, TK immediately feared what Carlos was about to say.

“I’m not supposed to admit this but I was scared,” Carlos whispered. “I mean, I was concerned when you didn’t show up for dinner then your parents started worrying too… Your mom thought that them splitting up had…” he paused.

“They thought I’d relapsed,” TK quietly added.

“Gwen just thought it could be a possibility… I didn’t want to believe it, of course, because I had faith in you.”

“Babe-”

Carlos brought TK’s hand to his lips and kissed his palm.

“I know how hard you’ve fought to make it this far,” he added. “The battle you fight  _ every _ day to resist the temptation of pills and alcohol and I’m so proud of you. I love you and I love your strength, your passion, your drive. You’ve come such a long way but you don’t shy away from your past.”

Carlos opened his palm to reveal TK’s coin. The small sobriety token that had essentially saved the lives of TK, Nancy and Tommy.

“You found it,” TK whispered in relief. “And you found me.”

“You knew what you were doing, you trusted we’d find you.”

TK sat up, reached for the coin and turned it over in his fingers. He stared down at it. Carlos silently watched him as tears formed in his eyes.

Carlos slid his arm around TK, pressed a kiss to his cheek while his boyfriend continued to gaze down at the coin.

“You kept it,” TK whispered.

“It’s yours; and I wanted to be the one to give it back to you,” Carlos admitted.

“I want to say it’s funny how something so small can lead to something so big… but that sounds stupid, given that I know how much damage pills can do or how a single match can destroy an entire building, how a bullet can cause you to take a moment, re-evaluate your future…”

“You made the right call in a bad situation and we found you, me and your dad. I’ll always come find you, TK, I love you.”

“I love you too, babe,” TK whispered.

Carlos touched the coin with his index finger, traced the words upon it. TK watched his movements, leaned in and kissed his cheek.

“Thank you for this,” TK said. “Thank you for… For everything. For being you, for finding me, for loving me.”

“You never have to thank me for that. Loving you is the  _ easiest _ , most nerve wracking thing I’ve ever done,” Carlos whispered.

“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, Carlos,” TK added.

“Well, since you met me… you’ve been shot, ripped your stitches, gone into an active minefield, changed jobs and been kidnapped…”

“Like I said…  _ best thing that’s ever happened to me.  _ I love you,” TK said.

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a prompt shared on discord
> 
> Also, this is only my second attempt at writing for this fandom so I’m sorry if it’s not very good (I’m still learning)


End file.
